Line-indicator.



No. 890,438. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1908.

v G. G. MUTZENBERG. 7

LINE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 1907.

n: NORRIS PETERS cc., WASHINGTON, nv c,

UNITED STAYEZS PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. MUTZENBERG, OF FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY.

LINE-INDICATOR.

, T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES G MUTZEN- BERG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Frankfort, in the county of Franklin and State ofKentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Line-Indicators,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a line indicator adapted for application tonote or record books or bound books or records of any type to serve as aguide to the eye in reading lines of writing or printing or other matterto be copied, the object in view being to provide a simple, convenientand inexpensive device of this character which may be applied with equalfacility to the right or left side of the book and to books varying innumber of pages or thickness, and which is further adjustable for use inconnection with pages varying considerably in width.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of thedevice. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the clamping member online 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar section through the indicatingblade on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawin the numeral 1 designates a clamping membercomprising a pair of parallel metallic strips 2 and 3 form' ing coactinglongitudinal clamping jaws, the upper or front strip 2 beingformed atits outer edge with a rearwardly or downwardly extending flange 4 beyondthe outer edge of the under or rear strip 3, which flange is designed toserve the function of a stop to engage the outer edge of the cover orleaves of the book to which the device is applied to hold the clamp frominward movement thereon. These strips may be of any desired length toserve effectually for use in connection with books of varying heightwithin determined limits and are yieldingly connected by spring means tohold them in clamping engagement with the book. To this end, a partiallycircular spring 5 is arranged mid Way between the ends of the strips andis provided at its respective ends with ears 6 and 7 projecting overupon and riveted or otherwise secured to the outer faces of the strips,the contractile energy of the spring serving Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed August 7, 1907.

Patented June 9, 1908.

Serial No. 387,522.

normally to hold the strips in abutting contact. Finger pieces 8 areapplied to the sides of the spring and extend outwardly therefrom, sothat they may be grasped and moved toward each other to effect theexpansion of the spring and spring the clamping strips or jaws apart forengagement with the cover and leaves of the book.

A guide rod 9 extends longitudinally along the outer face of the strip2, and is preferably formed of wire spaced from the face of the stripand having its ends bent at an inward angle and suitably fitted to thestrip. This rod forms a guide for a line indicating blade 10 comprisinga main section 11 formed or provided with eyes 12 slidably engaging therod, by which the blade may be adjusted longitudinally of the clamp. Theblade extends inwardly at right angles from the clamp, and, by itsadjustable connection therewith, may be moved vertically up and downover the page of the book to adapt it to be set for use andintermittently moved downward to register with and successively indicatethe lines of the printed or other matter upon the page which is beingread or copied. In order to retain the blade frictionally in adjustedposition when the book is supported vertically or in an inclinedposition, alight coiled spring 13 is provided and extends through theeyes 12 and engages the rod 9, the coils of the spring being so disposedas to maintain it in a determined relation to the eyes, and also beingof proper diameter to snugly embrace the rod, whereby the blade will beprevented from dropping by gravity and yet may be easily andconveniently adjusted by slight pressure.

In order to provide for the adjustment of the blade to extend acrosspages varying in width, the longitudinal side edges of the metal ofwhich the main section 11 is composed are bent upwardly and inwardly toform guide flanges 14, thus providing a guideway in which an extensionstrip 15 is fixed to longitudinally slide to vary the effective lengthof the blade. The extension strip corresponds substantially in lengthwith the main blade section 11, so that when adjusted inwardly to thelimit of its movement it will be wholly confined within said mainsection. A button, knob or other suitable finger piece 15 is secured tothe extension strip 15 and extends outwardly through the slot formedbetween the flanges 14 to enable said extension r to maintain said bladein a strip to be readily and conveniently adjusted to accord with thefull width of the page across which the blade extends.

In use, the device is applied to grasp the cover and one or more pagesof the book to hold the latter open and maintain the device in position,and the blade 10 is extended across the adjacent exposed page and adjusted to register with the upper or first line of the page, after whichit is successively moved downwardly to register with the suc ceedinglines, as will be readily understood.

If the page is of greater width than the length of the main section 11of the blade, the extension strip 15 may be adjusted outwardly to accordwith the full length of the written or printed line. By the describedconstruction and arrangement of the parts, the device may be appliedwith equal facility to the cover and pages at the left or right handside of the open book without the necessity of reversing it or turningits rear side forward in this operation. The mode of applying andreleasing the device will be apparent, and its manifold convenience toreaders, stenographers and copyists appreciated.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is l. A device of the character describedcomprising a clamp, a guide rod upon the clamp, a blade slidably mountedupon said rod, and a coiled spring slidably encircling the rod andengaging the blade for adjustment therewith prescribed position ofadjustment.

2. A device of the character described comprising a clamp, a guide rodcarried thereby, a blade having eyes slidably engaging said rod, and acoiled spring passing through the eyes and engaging the same and rod tomaintain the blade in a prescribed position of adjustment.

3. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of elongatedclamping strips adapted to engage the free side edges of the cover andleaves of a book, a spring connecting said strips and provided withexpanding means, a guide rod disposed longitudinally upon one of theclamping strips, an indicating blade slidably mounted at one end uponsaid rod and projecting laterally at one side of said clamping strips,and co-engaging means between the rod and blade for frictionallyretaining the latter in adjusted position.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a pair of elongatedclamping strips, said strips being adapted to engage the free edges ofthe cover and leaves of a book, a

spring connecting said strips and provided with expanding means, a guiderod arranged longitudinally upon one of the strips, a blade extendinglaterally in one direction from said rod and slidably mounted thereon,an extension strip slidably mounted upon the blade and provided withoperating means, and coengaging means between the rod and blade forfrictionally retaining the latter in adjusted position.

5. A device of the character described comprising a clamp, a guide rodthereon, an indicating blade havingspaced eyes slidably engaging therod, and a coiled spring passing through and engaging the eyes andfrictionally engaging the rod to maintain the blade in a prescribedposition of adjustment.

6. A device of the character described,

comprising a clamp consisting of a pair of elongated parallel strips, apartially circular spring terminally connected with the strips forpressing the same towards each other, finger pieces connected with thesides of the spring for expanding the same and spreading the strips,aguide rod arranged longitudinally upon one of said strips, and anindicating blade slidably engaging said rod. 7. A device of thecharacter described, comprising a clamp consisting of a pair ofelongated parallel strips, one of said strips having a longitudinal stopflange at the outer edge thereof, a spring disposed at one side of andyieldingly connecting the strips and provided with operating means, arod arranged longitudinally upon one of the strips, and a blade slidablyconnected at one end with said rod and extending laterally from the sideof the clamp opposite the'spring.

8. A device of the character described, comprising a clamp consisting ofa pair of elongated parallel strips, one having at its outer edge a stopflange, and a spring arranged at the outer side of the clamp andyieldingly connecting the strips and provided with operating means, aguide rod arranged longitudinally upon one of the strips, a bladeextending laterally from the clamp opposite the spring and slidablyconnected at one end with the rod, an extension strip slidably engagingthe blade, and means cooperatively engaging the rod and blade tofrictionally maintain the latter in a prescribed position of adjustment.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

K. ALLEN, H. DITTMAN.

